a little tour in france-第24章
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hese evidences of municipal splendor are interesting for the light they throw on French manners。 Imagine the mayor of an English or an American town of twenty thousand inhabitants holding magisterial soirees in the town…hall！ The said _grande salle_； which is un… changed in form and its larger features； is； I believe； the room in which the Rochelais debated as to whether they should shut themselves up； and decided in the affirmative。 The table and chair of Jean Guiton have been restored； Iike everything else； and are very elegant and coquettish pieces of furniture； … incongruous relics of a season of starvation and blood。 I believe that Protestantism is somewhat shrunken to…day at La Rochelle； and has taken refuge mainly in。 the _haute societe_ and in a single place of worship。 There was nothing particular to remind me of its supposed austerity as； after leaving the hotel de ville； I walked along the empty portions and cut out of the Tour de l'Horloge； which I have already mentioned。 If I stopped and looked up at this venerable monument； it was not to ascertain the hour； for I foresaw that I should have more time at La Rochelle than I knew what to do with； but because its high； gray； weather…beaten face was an obvious subject for a sketch。 The little port； which has two basins； and is ac… cessible only to vessels of light tonnage； had a certain gayety and as much local color as you please。 Fisher folk of pictuesque type were strolling about； most of them Bretons； several of the men with handsome； simple faces； not at all brutal； and with a splendid brownness； … the golden…brown color； on cheek and beard； that you see on an old Venetian sail。 It was a squally； showery day； with sudden drizzles of sun… shine； rows of rich…toned fishing…smacks were drawn up along the quays。 The harbor is effective to the eye by reason of three battered old towers which； at different points； overhang it and look infinitely weather… washed and sea…silvered。 The most striking of these； the Tour de la Lanterne； is a big gray mass； of the fifteenth century； flanked with turrets and crowned with a Gothic steeple。 I found it was called by the people of the place the Tour des Quatre Sergents； though I know not what connection it has with the touching history of the four young sergeants of the garrison of La Rochelle； who were arrested in 1821 as conspirators against the Government of the Bour… bons； and executed； amid general indignation； in Paris in the following year。 The quaint little walk； with its label of Rue sur les Murs； to which one ascends from beside the Grosse Horloge； leads to this curious Tour de la Lanterne and passes under it。 This walk has the top of the old town…wall； toward the sea； for a parapet on one side； and is bordered on the other with decent but irregular little tenements of fishermen； where brown old women； whose caps are as white as if they were painted； seem chiefly in possession。 In this direction there is a very pretty stretch of shore； out of the town； through the fortifications （which are Vauban's； by the way）； through； also； a diminutive public garden or straggling shrubbery； which edges the water and carries its stunted verdure as far as a big Etablissernent des Bains。 It was too late in the year to bathe； and the Etablissement had the bank… rupt aspect which belongs to such places out of the season； so I turned my back upon it； and gained； by a circuit in the course of which there were sundry water…side items to observe； the other side of the cheery little port； where there is a long breakwater and a still longer sea…wall； on which I walked awhile； to inhale the strong； salt breath of the Bay of Biscay。 La Rochelle serves； in the months of July and August； as a _station de bains_ for a modest provincial society； and； putting aside the question of inns； it must be charming on summer afternoons。
XVII。
It is an injustice to Poitiers to approach her by night； as I did some three hours after leaving La Rochelle； for what Poitiers has of best； as they would say at Poitiers； is the appearance she presents to the arriving stranger who puts his head out of the window of the train。 I gazed into the gloom from such an aperture before we got into the station； for I re… membered the impression received on another occa… sion； but I saw nothing save the universal night； spotted here and there with an ugly railway lamp。 It was only as I departed； the following day； that I assured myself that Poitiers still makes something of the figure she ought on the summit of her consider… able bill。 I have a kindness for any little group of towers； any cluster of roofs and chimneys； that lift themselves from an eminence over which a long road ascends in zigzags； such a picture creates for the mo… ment a presumption that you are in Italy； and even leads you to believe that if you mount the winding road you will come to an old town…wall； an expanse of creviced brownness； and pass under a gateway sur… mounted by the arms of a mediaeval despot。 Why I should find it a pleasure； in France； to imagine my… self in Italy； is more than I can say； the illusion has never lasted long enough to be analyzed。 From the bottom of its perch Poitiers looks large and high； and indeed； the evening I reached it； the interminiable climb of the omnibus of the hotel I had selected； which I found at the station； gave me the measure of its commanding position。 This hotel； 〃magnifique construction ornee de statues；〃 as the Guide…Joanne； usually so reticent； takes the trouble to announce； has an omnibus； and； I suppose； has statues； though I didn't perceive them； but it has very little else save immemorial accumulations of dirt。 It is magnificent； if you will； but it is not even relatively proper； and a dirty inn has always seemed to me the dirtiest of human things； … it has so many opportunities to betray itself。
Poiters covers a large space； and is as crooked and straggling as you please； but these advantages are not accompanied with any very salient features or any great wealth of architecture。 Although there are few picturesque houses； however； there are two or three curious old churches。 Notre Dame la Grande； in the market…place； a small romanesque structure of the twelfth century； has a most interesting and venerable exterior。 Composed； like all the churches of Poitiers； of a light brown stone with a yellowish tinge； it is covered with primitive but ingenious sculptures； and is really an impressive monument。 Within； it has lately been daubed over with the most hideous decorative painting that was ever inflicted upon passive pillars and indifferent vaults。 This battered yet coherent little edifice has the touching look that resides in everything supremely old： it has arrived at the age at which such things cease to feel the years； the waves of time have worn its edges to a kind of patient dul… ness； there is something mild and smooth； like the stillness； the deafness； of an octogenarian； even in its rudeness of ornament； and it has become insensible to differences of a century or two。 The cathedral interested me much less than Our Lady the Great； and I have not the spirit to go into statistics about it。 It is not statistical to say that the cathedral stands half…way down the hill of Poitiers； in a quiet and grass…grown _place_； with an approach of crooked lanes and blank garden…walls； and that its most striking dimension is the width of its facade。 This width is extraordinary； but it fails； somehow； to give nobleness to the edifice； which looks within （Murray makes the remark） like a large public hall。 There are a nave and two aisles； the latter about as high as the nave； and there are some very fearful modern pictures； which you may see much better than you usually see those specimens of the old masters that lurk in glow… ing side…chapels； there being no fine old glass to dif… fuse a kindly gloom。 The sacristan of the cathedral showed me something much better than all this bright bareness； he led me a short distance out of it to the small Temple de Saint…Jean； which is the most curious object at Poitiers。 It is an early Christian chapel； one of the earliest in France； originally； it would seem； … that is； in the sixth or seventh centu
